Fuel pump mounting



Patented Apr. 3, 195 1 UNITED STATES FUEL PUMP MOUNTING Alfred C. Korte, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Carter Carburetor Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1949, Serial No. 102,337

2 Claims. (Cl. 222385) This invention relates to means for mounting an accessory such as a fuel pump, relative to a fuel tank, and has particular reference to the provision of an improved support or bracket structure for supporting and locating an acces sory, preferably an electric fuel pump, within and near the bottom of a fuel tank.

In general, the present invention concerns an improved fuel pump supporting bracket structure which is adapted for the support of an electric fuel pump within and near the bottom of a fuel tank, and which is of an adjustable construction enabling a ready adaptation thereof to tanks of various depths such as to assure fuel pump location in the desired position near the tank bottom. Among the more important objects "of the invention are the provision of a bracket of the character above indicated, affording a stable support for an electric fuelpump; the provision of a bracket adapted to be supported at or near an upper or top Zone of the tank, and bracket mounting relative to the tank such that the bracket and the fuel pump carried thereby, may be inserted in or removed from the tank as a unit.

The foregoing and other objects will appear from the following description of a presently pre-.- ferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

.Fig.'-1*is a vertical section through a portion of a fuel tank, illustrating a presently preferred form of bracket structure mounted relative to the tank and supporting an electric fuel pump;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the bracket structure, shown apart from the tank and with the cooperative parts of the bracket in relative separation;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation at the top of the tank in the zone of bracket mounting thereon.

Referring initially to Fig. 1, a fuel tank It is shown in fragmentary section, and suspended therein is the bracket structure I I forming the subject of the present invention. By present preference, the bracket is essentially a two-part structure comprised of a lower section I2 and an upper section I4. The lower bracket section I2 is of U-shape, affording a relatively flat bottom element I 5 and upstanding, parallel legs or arms. structurally bracing the arms of section I2 is a flanged plate I9 spanning the armstherebetween and. having its flanges, one of which is shown at in Fig. 2, suitably secured to the bracket arms as by welding or the like. Bracket section I2 thus forms a saddle-like carriage for an accessory such as the electric fuel pump 22 shown in elevation in Fig. 1. While pump 22 may be of any desired type, the pump shown is of the type covered in my Patent No. 2,394,860. It is supported between the arms of bracket section I 2 and on bottom element i5 thereof through suitable trunnions at the corners of the pump casing, the trunnions seating in trunnion sockets 23 carried by bracket elements 24 suitably attached to bracket section I2. The trunnion mounting of the pump is here such as to afford ready access to the trunnions, to permit and facilitate ready mounting or removal of the pump relative to the bracket section I2, as this will appearfrom Figs. 1 and 2. Suitable pump mountings are covered in my Patents 2,271,560 and 2,424,469.

Upper bracket section It comprises a cap plate 26 havin a channel section peripheral mounting portion 21, and relatively spaced, parallel plate-like arms 28 and 3!! depending from the underside of the plate. Each of the arms is connected to plate 26 preferably by an angle piece 3| suitably. attached to the arm as by rivets 32, and to the plate 26 by rivets 3d extending through a strengthening plate or washer element 35 on the upper face of the plate. The spacing of the arms 28, and 30 is here such that in bracket assembly, these arms embrace the arms of the lower section I2, in surface contact with the latter (Fig. 1). According to present preference, one arm of lower bracket section I2 is formed to provide an outstanding longitudinal rib 36 curved or arouate in section as indicated in Fig. 2 over the major portion'of its length from the upper or free end of the arm. Rib 3t in bracket assembly, is received in a similarly shaped channel guideway 38 (Fig. 2) extending longitudinally of arm 36 in the upper section, the rib and channel aiding in the assembly of the bracket parts and retaining the engaged bracket arms in longitudinal alignment during adjustment. These guide elements may be provided on both sides of the bracket parts if desired.

In the present example, the bracket is supported at or near the top of tank I ii, and to facilitate such support, there is provided an inverted U-sece tion mounting member 39 having a web portion 40, and a depending outer flange or skirt 42 projected through an opening 23 in the top Wall M of the tank (Fig. 1). The skirt of th member is suitably supported on and sealed to the tank wall 44, as by a continuous fillet-weld 45 at the juncture of the skirt and the tank wall margin at opening 43. Member 39 provides a circular opening 4! to receive the bracket therethrough, and affords a bracket mount through its web 40 adapted for supporting engagement with theperipheral portion 21 of bracket cap plate 26. In bracket mounting, portion 21 is suitably secured to web 40 of member 39, as by bolts 48.

As indicated particularly in Fig. 1, there is mounted on plate 23 an electric terminal fitting within which is effected in suitable manner, electrical connection between a power input conductor 52 and a lead 54. Lead 5'6 extends down- Wardly between the bracket arms, to connection at 55 with the electric motor of the pump unit 22. Moreover, the lead preferably is fixed or anchored intermediate its ends, by passage thereof through an opening 56 in bracket brace. plate t9, the lead being snugly held at saidopening by an insulating bushing 58 in opening 56 (Fig. 1). Fitting 5| in assembly to plate 26,15 preferably .insulated therefrom and sealed'against fluid-leakage by an insulating gasket 59.

Carried by cap plate 225 adjacent fitting 5|, is afuelline elbow fitting 69 affording a connection to the fuel delivery line (not shown) leading to the engine or other point of fuel use. Fitting 60 extends through plate 26, being suitably sealed in its projection through the plate, and connects with a further fitting 63. aconnection for the upper end of a flexible con.- duit 64 leading from the discharge end 56 of the pump 22'. Other structure normally carried in or by the tank, such as a gasoline gauge, may be mounted on the cap plate, if desired.

In application of the now described bracket structuregiven a tank such as the tank H] illustrated, provided with the mounting member 38 thereon, the depth of the tank is measured as a first step. The depth here measured is the vertical distance between the tank bottom and the plane of the web 4!) of member 39. Once this distance is determined, the bracket having the arms 28 and 3f} embracing the legs of lower :section [2 is adjusted by relative longitudinal displacement of the sections l2 and M, until the assembled length thereof between the under side ofthe bottom element l5 and the under side of the mounting. flange 21 of cap plate 2B, is only slightly less: than the tank depth measured as above described. Preferably, thev bracket length is thus set at. avalueless'than but approximating the .tank depth indicated, so that in bracket mounting on the tank, bracket bottom element 1 5 will be disposed relatively close to the tank bottom, as to about the extent indicated in the view of Fig, 1. Upon longitudinal adjustment, of the bracket structure in accordance with the givenv tank to which it is to be applied, the engaged bracket armsare firmly connected in any suitable and positive manner which may be of a readily detachable character, or of a nondetachable nature. As is here preferred, such connection is effected conveniently as illustrated in Fig. 1, by welding the free ends and edges of arms 28 and 3'!) to thelegs of section L2 as indicated atBl, 68, and 69. The edge welds prevent buckling. A small angle bracket Won the bottom element l5- insures proper positioning of the pump while matching ribs or flutes 3.5, fia insure correct assembly of the bracket parts. lhe complete bracket unit including the pump thereon, then is'ready for tank mounting, effected by in sertion of the unit through the opening ll" of the mounting member'39, until the bracket plate The latter provides:

flange 21 rests on Web 40, whereupon the flange '21 is secured or bolted to the web 40 as hereinbefore described. It is apparent from the foregoing, that the entire unit may be unbolted and lifted out of the tank Whenever desired, as for inspection, repair or replacement of the pump 22.

The bracket structure having its parts constructed by preference, from suitable metallic material of a character to afford a stable support for the pump unit, thus is readily adaptable through the length adjustment feature described, to anyone of a number of tanks differing in the depth dimension herein indicated. Moreover, in order to permit full adjustment of the bracket lengths within the limits determined by the lengths of the bracket arms, the lengths of the fiexiblepumpzdisch'arge conduit 64 and the motor power lead 54 are such as to accommodate a maximum extension of the bracket.

It is to be noted in particular, that the presently improved bracket structure mounted in suspension from the top of the tank, presents an arrangement which not only facilitates ready insertion or removal of the bracket unit, but avoids bracket support connections through. the side or bottomwall of the tank.

Having now described. and illustrated the. invention in respect to a presently preferred embodiment thereof, it will appear that the bracket structure. may be modified without departing from the spirit and full intended scope: of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Bracket means for supporting and locating an accessory suchas an electric fuel pump, within: and near the bottomof a fuel tank, comprising a.:bracket mounting member adapted for attachment to the top wall of the tank and providing a bracket-receiving opening, a bracket adapted for positionment through said opening and vertically in the tank, with its lower end adjacent the tank bottom, said bracket including fuel pump support means at the lower end thereof, a plate on the upper end of the bracket, providing agperiphera'l fiangefcr seating on and attachment to said. mounting member, the plate and" its flange serving to close .the opening in said mounting member, a terminal connector on said plate for electric power supply connection to the el'ectricfuel pump supported by the bracket, and a conduit fitting carried by and exposed on said plate, for connection of the pump discharge to a fuel delivery :line.

2. Bracket means as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bracket includes arm elements in relative overlapping engagement and secured together, with the extent of overlap of said arms predetermined such as to determine the length of the bracket between its lower end and the peripheral flange of said plate, at a value less than but approximating the depth of the tank.

ALFRED C. KORTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,919,173 Schutt July 18-, 1933 2,273,214 McConaghy- Feb. 17,1942 

